Thursday, 6 October 2011

Pizza (BLW)

I have been watching the Great British Bake Off on TV for the last few weeks quite obsessively. And I have to say that baking has always scared me a little, but this show makes it seem even harder! It's strange, because I have made profiteroles in the past (yes, from scratch!) and I have baked many cakes, but I guess this show highlights all that can go wrong too. And the judges are very harsh!

So when making pizza came to mind the other day, the thought of making the salt-free dough from scratch was quite intimidating. In any case, I persevered. What is the worst that can happen? I waste a little flour and water, right? I followed the recipe for the dough, with a few breaks to attend to a crying baby - currently going through a little separation anxiety or something... It worked! Obviously, the toppings were made up as I went, but the base turned out beautifully! I was/ am so proud!



Serves 2 (hungry) people, plus a mini one

for the base:

280g of strong plain white flour
2 tsp of easy-blend yeast
250ml of warm water
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
pinch of salt (if NOT doing BLW)

for the topping

6-8 anchovy fillets
1 red onion
1/2 red pepper
1/2 grated courgette
8 cherry tomatoes
4 tbs of passata
100g of grated mozzarella (or buffalo mozzarella if you feel extravagant)

For the dough base, sift the flour and yeast into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the water and olive oil into the well and mix together into a soft dough. Tip it out into a lightly floured surface and knead for at least 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Return to a clean bowl (dust the bowl lightly with flour before adding the dough, so that the dough doesn't stick), cover with clingfilm or a damp towel and leave in a warm place for approximately 1 hour or until more than doubled in size.

After it has doubled in size turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, knock out the air and knead again briefly. Roll it out roughly and lift it into a large oiled baking sheet. Stretch it out carefully with your fingers to reach the edges of the sheet. Add the passata and spread it our thinly. Add any topping of your liking - the toppings above are just guidance. For babies, I would leave out the anchovies, as they are very salty. Sprinkle with cheese and place in a preheated fan oven at 200. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the base is crisp.

The satisfaction of eaten a home-made pizza is great, The fact that it tastes so good is a fantastic bonus...


mini pizza, for my mini girl

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